loss of motivation

Rabbit

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well i came to you all for some advice.. i am young and am going to school for photography.. and well lets just say i love it.. but i look at things and i know what i want.. but now its more like i can't see anything.. i fell like it could be cause i am stressing on class homework .. maybe just home life.. i just don't know..

so really i am just wondering what do you all do when you are having brain farts and i am not just saying 1 day.. but more than that.. anything that helps open up your minds and gets you shooting?

cause i am just frustrated with this lack of motivation..


thanks..

Rabbit
 
ah. I'm suffering from a bit of this right now.

My final project assignment is going to be assigned this coming Monday. I've known about this since the beginning of the semester, and it has been looming over me for the last couple weeks because I have no idea what I am going to shoot.

I don't know what to tell you really, but when I get in a rut, I keep a small note book in my pocket. I jot down ideas when they strike me. No matter how silly they may seem, they might evolve into something useful.

Keep a camera with you always. Shoot everything. If you're shooting digital, you don't have to worry about film, and if you're shooting film, don't worry because film is cheap.

Browse what you've shot. If something jumps out at you from one of your photos, pick it apart... what could you do to make this better? Does it give you an idea for a series of photos? How far can you push that idea?

Don't dwell on your lack of motivation or inspiration. That is like watching a toaster...it will never pop if you do.
 
Refocus the mind...empty out all the junk and only focus on what is currently important...
Stop listening to negative people...
Stop saying negatives about anyone...
Turn off the radio/ TV/ AOL popups or what ever for SEVEN DAYS...
Focus on your reasons why you're doing photography...
Think about 5 things in your life you are thankful for...and focus on them...

Each of these has been working for me mentally...Can work for anyone who applies them and really believe that they will help.
 
This is what I did...

I joined a local Flickr photography group..I surrounded myself with great photograpers and got great ideas, we have been going strong for a year now, we meet once a month just to hang and play with each other's lenses and cameras. We have also branched off and formed more private outings with closer friends we have made there. LEt me tell you, my creativity has really expanded by doing this! Check out different photo magazine websites like pop photo to get ideas and tipss n tricks too. There is a LOT you can do!
 
This happens to me all the time. Once photography is your job, it can become just as mundane as any other.

I remind myself that I'm pretty darn lucky. I make weird challenges for myself, and make myself do them, even though I have a thousand other things that need attending to. For instance, I will put something in the middle of the room, and make myself photograph it 10 different ways without moving it.
And then I go back to the mundane crap with a much better attitude.
:)
 
Learn to spell serendipity and then live it! You'll never fall in love in a bad mood, but you can fall out of it that way. Go look for the things life shows you, follow the good things and enjoy the ride! mike
 
Go for a walk in the woods. Get up before daybreak and watch the sunrise. Go walk along a river. Photograph a pet. Watch the animals in a park. Watch little kids or skateboarders in a park.Every minute thank GOD you are not crippled, blind, diseased, starving, or live in a war torn country. If you think about all you HAVE, instead of all you dont have, you will come out of it in pretty good shape mentally. Basically its time to count your blessings instead of the shortcomings.
 
Go to a book store, look at the work of other photographers.

Limit yourself to shooting in one particular way - certain focal length, shutter speed, aperture.

Get out, shoot at night.
 
I ran into this problem. I'm working on kicking it. A fellow photographer gave me a few things to think about. Among them is to do something you normally don't do. Or work on perfecting a certain shot. I find myself feeling like I'm in a rut during the winter because I find snow, gray and whatnot so mudane that I tend to avoid it.

Find a subject or style you haven't done before. Try shooting it yourself. There's more to photography than shooting pictures. Read up on other artists or read up on a technical aspect that you're curious about or need to learn more about.

Lately, I've been feeling somewhat stalled on my project. I may have to re-think my approach to it right now.
 
Write down some SPECIFIC photography goals that you'd like to accomplish this year. And then dedicate yourself to accomplishing them.
 
what I have been doing for the last few days is trying to get at least 1 picture I actual enjoy, regardless of subject. As an example, I took a picture of a lightbulb, a ceiling fan, even a roll of toilet paper. It is helping me see more creative ways to capture subjects that are sub-excellent, and I am hoping it will help me see photographic opportunites easier.

Also, it means that I am using my camera at least once a day.
 
When I get in a rut, I take on a diy photography project. So far I've made several pinhole cameras, a couple homemade lenses, and a light tent. Most projects don't take long to complete, and you'll be itching to go out shooting to try them out. If you're crafty, try researching alternative processes or google "diy photography," for inspiration.
 

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